It is a staple part of the calendar in any town’s pre-Christmas schedule – the illumination of the Christmas lights.
Ipswich will be having its own switch-on event this week. See below for all the key information.
When is it? The Ipswich lights switch-on this year will be on Thursday, November 17. The actual illumination happens at 6.45pm but there are activities going on from 5pm.
Who is doing it?: This year the lights will be switched on by the Mayor of Ipswich, Roger Fern. He will be accompanied by actors from this year’s Ipswich Regent pantomime – Sleeping Beauty – and Town 102 presenter Wayne Bavin.
Will there be late-night shopping?: In short, yes. Ipswich’s late night shopping events are traditionally on a Thursday and the first one this year coincides with the lights switch-on.
Park and ride: Both park and ride sites serving Ipswich (Martlesham and London Road) will be running buses every 12 minutes to link up with late-night shopping from November 17, with the last departures back to the car parks at 9.41pm (Martlesham) and 9.22pm (London Road).
What else is happening on the night?: There will be music and dancing (including Christmas carols) from 5pm. Also in attendance will be the Children’s Theatre Company and Pigs Gone Wild fundraiser Norman Lloyd.
See here for details of when other Christmas lights swtich-ons take place around Suffolk.
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